With just over a week to go before the start of the Royal St Andrews Hotel Amanzi Challenge, the area’s premier water sport event, everything is well on the way to readiness awaiting the arrival of thousands of visitors who will descend on Port Alfred for the challenge along with the Easter holidays.
The early birds kick off the 10-day challenge on Friday April 19 with an 8km trail run as well as the SA Bodyboarding Championship at West Beach, both events starting at 7am.
The trail run will take runners from the Royal Port Alfred Golf Club, along the beach to finally end at the Royal St Andrews Hotel, the major sponsor of the event. The bodyboarding championships will continue at West Beach for the next five days, ending on Tuesday April 23 and concluding with the prize giving at the Royal St Andrews Hotel.
There is also the official opening ceremony at the Royal St Andrews Hotel where Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (Dsrac), Thokozile Xasa, will be giving the keynote address as well as attending the first few days of this premier sporting event.
On Saturday April 20 there is the Marina Mile Swim, a classic swimming event at the Halyards Hotel, beginning at 12 noon after which there will be a prize giving ceremony also at the Halyards Hotel. Saturday also sees the start of the two-day SA Beach Handball Championships which begins at 9am at East Beach, ending on Sunday April 21 with the prize giving.
Having registered for the event on Sunday, the RSAH Port Alfred Classic begins on Monday April 22 and ending with the prize giving at the Royal St Andrews Hotel on Wednesday April 24. This is an internationally-rated surfing event that will award World Surfing League points to the winners of the various sections.
On Friday April 26 the air will be rumbling with the sounds of the powerful engines of the inflatable boats as the Thunder Cat Rubber Duck races begin on the Kowie River. The racing will move to East Beach on Saturday April 27 and then to the Kowie River and out to sea on Sunday April 28, concluding with the prize giving at the Royal St Andrews Hotel.
Throughout the week there will be plenty for the children to do at Kiddies Beach including an Easter egg hunt, a pizza building competition, face-painting, races and a jumping castle. There is also the “Anything the floats” at MyPond Hotel on Saturday April 20, fencing, tumbling and gymnastic displays at West Beach and East Beach by Nemato Change a Life (NCAL).
The amazing 10-day feast of sport and entertainment will conclude with a closing ceremony at the Royal St Andrews Hotel on Sunday April 28 starting at 7pm.
